396 Chap. 39. AnExpofitionçoathe BookofJo B. Verf, I 3. Thus it is with the Hypocrite or falfe-hearted Chridian ; He Sant animalia (lands between a godly man and a profane man, he is neither ; ,qux he is not profane, in (1661 fen'e (though really he be fo, as the non fad/e.114" Hebrew word for a Hypocrite imports, yet ( I fay) in aria fenfe tuasan aguati- lia fint,an i he s not profane)becaufe he makes a profeffton, and appears to tgr refiriavolatzlia men in a form of godlinefs; yet he is not godly, becaufehe on- on terredria ut ly makes a profeffion, and appears in a formefgodlincfs, either verpeytitio, gui denying, or at leaf+, not havingany power of codlinefs. A Hy. tut ; Stru rite hangs, as I may fay, between God and bman, between the ,1..,0s wayes of holinefs, and the was of fin ;-he either halts between gili Pali two Religions, as Elijah told the jesys (1 King.18.2 t.) or takes camelutaktut; not one right (tep in that one which he pretends to ; he is (as it utriufpnatme was faid of the Church of Laodicea) neither hot or cold, but be- par:iripesqr tween both, hike-warm. As the Otilich is a creature between experter. two, fomething like a fowl ofthe air, and fomething like a butt Sana. of the earth, or (as the Latine word an Oflrich implies) A Camel winged, a winged Camel; fo is a Hypocrite, a kind of a middle-man, betweena good man and a bad, in appearance ve- ry good, but in truth and reality aark naught; and by fomuch worfe than the wora of profane ones, by how much he had amind to appear better than the bet+, at leaft among the bete of Pmly ones. Secondly, This Oarich, as he is defcribed, is a creature with- out natural affeEtion ; and fo the Hypocrite and falfe-hearted profeffor, is alwayes without fpiritual, Chriffian gracious affe- &ions, and very often without natural and meet humane affeAi- ons. That's one part of the charmer which the Apoftlegives of. thofe who have a form of godlinefs, but deny the Tower ( Tiria. 3. 3.) Thirdly,the 01frich hath feitliers,but cannot flie ; the °Aria fpreads her wings as if fhe would file aloft, yet cannot make a lofty flight; (he xaifeth her felf no higher above the earth, than aman may hop or leap ; her body or earthly part is foponderous, that her wings cannot raife her far into the air, much lefs bear her up long there. It is fo with the Hypocrite, he hath wings, and he feems to fpread them, as if he had flrong defire, and great defignes heaven-wards; he vvould make you believe he is both fromand for above, yethe'cannor get off the earth ; he is 213
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=